CRAAAP!!!!!Busted the "ear" off of my lower!!!!!

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - CRAAAP!!!!!Busted the "ear" off of my lower!!!!!

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:42:48 PM EDT

Dammit,I broke the "ear" off of the right side of the lower when I was punching the trigger guard roll pin through the trigger guard.Dammit,I thought I was doing everything perfect,this was my 1st attempt @ putting a lower together myself.All other parts installed without a hitch,I was kind of proud of myself until this happened.

So now what?Leave it like it is?It's only a cosmetic flaw,cant see this causing any problems over the life of the rifle.
Or should I mig or tig weld it back on?I would have to get a friend to do this for me though.

What would you guys do?

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:45:56 PM EDT

[#1]

I did the same thing. Not on my first build. More like my 12th or 13th. Stag lower with a DPMS LPK.

I cut both ears off and used a magpul full grip MIAD kit with the the attached polymer trigger guard.

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:46:26 PM EDT

[#2]

That SUCKS!!!

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:55:39 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
I did the same thing. Not on my first build. More like my 12th or 13th. Stag lower with a DPMS LPK.

I cut both ears off and used a magpul full grip MIAD kit with the the attached polymer trigger guard.

Hmm,very interesting.What the hell,it's allready broke,maybe I'l try this.Thanks,Mick.

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:55:51 PM EDT

[#4]

Magpul MIAD with integral trigger guard FTW!!

Posted: 10/10/2008 4:59:06 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
...a magpul full grip MIAD kit with the the attached polymer trigger guard.

This seems to be the best solution. Some people reattach the ear but still use the MIAD.

Posted: 10/10/2008 5:08:05 PM EDT

[#6]

Just ordered the MIAD from AIM.

Thanks guys.I'm not pissed anymore.Hahaha.Buying AR accessories makes me a little goofy

Posted: 10/10/2008 5:15:05 PM EDT

[#7]

If you still have the broken ear, you can "glue" it back on with JB Weld for cosmetic reasons. I'd do that AND the MIAD. Search around and you can find several threads talking about the same thing.

Posted: 10/10/2008 5:32:37 PM EDT

[#8]

when you guys support the lower to hammer the pin in first put the front of it in then place the piviot pin detent in the hole to start the pin it helps with getting everything lined up, but make sure to take it out and SUPPORT that lower.

Just something that i learned from my dad and thought that i would share.

Posted: 10/10/2008 5:42:57 PM EDT

[#9]

Posted: 10/10/2008 6:02:15 PM EDT

[#10]

Thats why you gotta support it with a chunk of wood etc, and instead of pounding the crap out of it use padded vise grips. You would think after all the stories you hear of this happening people would be a little more careful, but I understand accidents happen. Good Luck

Posted: 10/10/2008 6:39:21 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
If you still have the broken ear, you can "glue" it back on with JB Weld for cosmetic reasons. I'd do that AND the MIAD. Search around and you can find several threads talking about the same thing.

I had my gunsmith drill a small hole in the ear and the broken spot on the receiver, pin it back on, and install a standard Magpul trigger guard and JB Weld the whole thing together.

After the repairs:

Before the repairs:

Posted: 10/10/2008 6:41:48 PM EDT

[#12]

Not only support it but add a little grease. It is amazing how much easier it goes in.

Posted: 10/10/2008 6:48:17 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Not only support it but add a little grease. It is amazing how much easier it goes in.

I totally agree!!!!

Posted: 10/11/2008 6:02:10 AM EDT

[#14]

Every time I build a lower I remember these posts and cringe in fear even though I am using the proper support and tools.

Posted: 10/11/2008 8:00:36 AM EDT

[#15]

Yeah it has me a little worried too. THis is my first build and i deff. do not want to knock an ear off. Looks like mike tyson got ahold of your gun and thought it was Evander.

Posted: 10/11/2008 8:40:51 AM EDT

[#16]

How the hell are ya'll breaking ears off? is there a hammer involved or something? I just dont understand read the how too's and notice the set of vice grips or get a set of channel locks and smoothe the jaws off.

How to is at the top of the forum, maybe you should skip through it!

Posted: 10/11/2008 8:50:44 AM EDT

[#17]

A very well renowned gunsmith did the same thing off an Essential Arms lower that my buddy and I did a group buy with. He contacted Essential and they replaced the lower. Maybe you could try the same thing. If you got a gunsmith to call them that is.

Posted: 10/11/2008 9:57:27 AM EDT

[#18]

1/8" roll pins are .131 before pressing into a hole. The smallest hole a 1/8" roll pin should be pressed into is a .125. Any hole smaller than .125 and the ends of the roll pin are touching and it will not compress very well. You would only press one into a .125 hole if you were dealing with a thick, solid parts. For thin material, light duty application you only need a couple thousandths of interference. The real problem is most LPK's (other than RRA) seem to have the hole in the trigger guard drilled .125 before hard anodizing, and hard anodizing has a build thickness of .001. That adds up to give you a .123 hole in the trigger guard. I have precision measured this many many many times with gauge pins. The solution is to have a #30 drill bit handy whenever you are building a lower. A #30 is .128, that will give you exactly .003 of interference, which is perfect for this application.

Posted: 10/11/2008 10:20:20 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
1/8" roll pins are .131 before pressing into a hole. The smallest hole a 1/8" roll pin should be pressed into is a .125. Any hole smaller than .125 and the ends of the roll pin are touching and it will not compress very well. You would only press one into a .125 hole if you were dealing with a thick, solid parts. For thin material, light duty application you only need a couple thousandths of interference. The real problem is most LPK's (other than RRA) seem to have the hole in the trigger guard drilled .125 before hard anodizing, and hard anodizing has a build thickness of .001. That adds up to give you a .123 hole in the trigger guard. I have precision measured this many many many times with gauge pins. The solution is to have a #30 drill bit handy whenever you are building a lower. A #30 is .128, that will give you exactly .003 of interference, which is perfect for this application.

excellent suggestion, also rock river has the spiral roll pins which work much better. i've also never had a "fit issue" with stag/cmt LPK's, J&T also have very good LPK's

Posted: 10/11/2008 10:24:00 AM EDT

[#20]

i could tig weld it back. but it woudl dis color it and -- your doing all the filing and fitting though . whole process may take my 30 mins . ive fixed similar mess ups before never on a gun though , but i can keep the heat down by stitching a lil at a time

Posted: 10/11/2008 11:54:41 AM EDT

[#21]

If your like me you won't be satisfyed with a repair like that,a new lower is the answer .at $100.00 it is no big deal . you learned a $100 lesson ,cheap if you ask me .

Posted: 10/11/2008 12:39:00 PM EDT

[#22]

I did it, on like my 10th build. Makes for a good lesson.

Posted: 10/11/2008 1:44:55 PM EDT

[#23]

Slightly OT - but does anyone have the thread where a gunsmith machined a whole new rear trigger guard section with new ears and bolted it to the lower. Think this was a registered lower that needed to be saved.

Not that I'd do it for a semi lower because the cost would be about 5x the lower , but it was an elegant machining solution. I've looked but can no longer find the link.

Posted: 10/11/2008 4:42:45 PM EDT

[#24]

height=8

Quoted:
If your like me you won't be satisfyed with a repair like that,a new lower is the answer .at $100.00 it is no big deal . you learned a $100 lesson ,cheap if you ask me .

Fortunately for me, I have a friend like that. He had done several builds before without incident, but he finally broke one. He would not have been satisfied with a repair, so he sold the receiver and all the internals to me for $50.00. For that price I can tolerate a little JB Weld.

Posted: 10/11/2008 8:49:17 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
How the hell are ya'll breaking ears off? is there a hammer involved or something? I just dont understand read the how too's and notice the set of vice grips or get a set of channel locks and smoothe the jaws off.

How to is at the top of the forum, maybe you should skip through it!

I was following the instructions very carefully,everything else went together without a hitch.I thought I was supporting it,Oh well,live & learn.It's gonna get fixed,it doesn't bother me now,at 1st it did,but I'm over it & I found a solution.

Posted: 10/11/2008 10:11:13 PM EDT

[#26]

i always try to use vise grips to squeeze the pin a little before hammering.

i would call the manufacturer of the reciever first.

if he cant help i would get a miad with winter triggerguard and bolt the piece back with hardware store screws. it will be solid as the grip and trigger guard is screwed on and with the piece bolted back you probably wont notice the difference.

i wouldn't jb weld it, you may be able to find someone to weld it later.

Posted: 10/12/2008 7:27:07 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:
How the hell are ya'll breaking ears off? is there a hammer involved or something? I just dont understand read the how too's and notice the set of vice grips or get a set of channel locks and smoothe the jaws off.

How to is at the top of the forum, maybe you should skip through it!

I was following the instructions very carefully,everything else went together without a hitch.I thought I was supporting it,Oh well,live & learn.It's gonna get fixed,it doesn't bother me now,at 1st it did,but I'm over it & I found a solution.

You must have missed a step, if you had a hammer after it you definately mised a step, You are kinda making a samich, each side is supporting the other with the TG in the middle, Best you can do with it is JB weld it back on, theres also a fix running around using the magpul MIAD grip with the trigger guard attached, it looks pretty clean.

Stole the pics for you,
I use a set of channel locks that I flattenned the jaws so the ridges wouldnt mar, same concept different tool

Posted: 10/16/2008 7:34:09 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

What would you guys do?

Threads like these are why I believe it takes me 10 minutes to put the lower together and 15 minutes slowly tapping that last roll pin in! I've done 4 so far and never broke an ear off.

I'd just leave it alone. Welding/refinishing the area may be an option tho. Sorry to hear about that man

Posted: 10/16/2008 7:53:35 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
How the hell are ya'll breaking ears off? is there a hammer involved or something? I just dont understand read the how too's and notice the set of vice grips or get a set of channel locks and smoothe the jaws off.

How to is at the top of the forum, maybe you should skip through it!

I've had some Doublestar lowers with terrible tolerances for the trigger guard pin hole. Ream it out first with a drill bit first to remove any flash stuck in there. As stated by others make sure the ears are supported while driving the punch.

Posted: 10/16/2008 8:01:51 AM EDT

[#30]

been there done that.... miad.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - CRAAAP!!!!!Busted the "ear" off of my lower!!!!!

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